There are nine native dog breeds from Ireland: Irish Wolfhound, Kerry Beagle, Irish Red & White Setter, Irish Red Setter, Irish Water Spaniel, Irish Terrier, Kerry Blue, Irish Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier, and Irish Glen of Amaal Terrier.
Because the people of Ireland suffered severe poverty and famine through much of their history, dogs were generally not a luxury. Most of the native breeds proved themselves to be hardy and practical, often taking on the tasks of guarding, herding, hunting, and companionship, while being easy to feed and keep.
Today’s Irish dog may live a cushier life than that of his ancestors, but the Irish dog names below have stood the test of time.
- Aeveen : prompt; ready
- Aidan : little fire
- Aideen : jealousy
- Alannah : my child
- Alby; Alvy : white or world king
- Anlan : great hound
- Archu : hound of slaughter
- Arlen : promise
- Aroon : my love
- Asna; Esna : musical sound
- Asthore : my love
- Astoreen : my little love
- Bannon : white or derived from woman
- Banya : whiteness; paleness
- Barra; Barry : short forms of Finbar
- Baskin : red headed or round headed
- Beccan : small
- Beck : small
- Begley : little hero
- Bergin : robber; brigand
- Berrin : white haired
- Bevin : white lady
- Blair : dweller in the meadow
- Boand : cow-white (goddess)
- Brady; Bradigan : spirited
- Bran : raven
- Branduff : raven-black
- Branigan : raven
- Brenna : raven
- Bridget : one who is strong
- Brogan : sharp-faced.
- Calhoun : resident of the woods
- Calvagh : bald
- Cana : wolf cub
- Canagan : wolf cub
- Canavan : black head
- Cara : friend
- Carey : dark
- Carlin : little victor
- Carrick : dweller of rocky land
- Casey : vigilant in war
- Cass : curly haired
- Cassan : curly haired
- Cassidy : bright, talented
- Catcheen : kitten
- Ceara/Cara : fiery red
- Cian : ancient
- Ciara/Kira : dark; black
- Clancy : red warrior
- Cochran : red lady
- Colin : whelp
- Colleen : little girl
- Conall : strong as a wolf
- Conan : hound
- Connell, Conial : brave; fierce as a hound
- Connery : wolf farmer
- Conor : lover of hounds
- Conry : king of wolves/hounds
- Convel : wolf warrior
- Cooey : hound of the plain
- Coovara : hound of the sea
- Coovey : mead hound
- Corcan, Corcran : red
- Corcoran : purple
- Creena : (my) heart
- Cronan : dark; swarthy
- Cronan : yellow; swarthy
- Cuan : hound; wolf
- CuChulainn : From “Hound of Cuchulainn,” famous legend
- Cushla Macree : pulse of my heart
- Dallan : blind
- Daragan : little red one
- Darby : liberty
- Darcy : descendant of the dark one
- Darragh; Dary : fruitful; fertile
- Deirdre : chatterer
- Dempsey : person with pride
- Derry : descendant of the red haired one
- Devlin : fearless warrior
- Devnet : fawn
- Dillon : faithful companion
- Donagh : brown warrior
- Donleavy : brown one of the mountain
- Donleavy : dark one of the mountains
- Donn : brown
- Donnagan : brown one of the hound packs
- Donnan : little brown one
- Donnegan : brown
- Donovan : dark brown; swarthy
- Doran : exiled person
- Dorrie : dark man
- Dougal : dark strander
- Douglas : black and blue/green/grey
- Douglas : blue-black
- Dowd : dark; black
- Doyle : descendant of the dark stranger
- Dualta : dark limbed
- Duane : descendant of the dark one
- Dudley : dark man of the two sides
- Duff : black; dark
- Dugan : dark lad
- Dunla : brown lady or lady of the fortress
- Duvessa : dark lady of the waterfall
- Eachan : a horseman
- Eamon : wealthy guardian
- Egan : little fiery one
- Eileen : shining
- Eltin : lively; nimble
- Enat : faithful; sincere
- Enda : bird-like
- Erin : name for Ireland
- Eveleen : beauty; radience
- Evgren : ray of sunshine; radiance of the sun
- Fallon : leader
- Feardorcha : dark man
- Felan, Phelan : wolf
- Fennat; Finnat : fair haired lady
- Fennore : white ghost
- Fergus : powerful and manly
- Fidelma : ever good
- Filtiarn : lord of wolves
- Finbar : white haired
- Finian : white haired
- Finley : fair-haired soldier
- Finnegan : little white haired one
- Finnva : fair haired and good
- Finola; Fenella : white shoulders
- Fintan : white fire
- Fionchon : shaggy
- Flann, Flannan : fiery red
- Flannery : red eyebrows
- Flannigan : fiery red
- Flynn : bright red
- Gallagher : lover of strangers
- Garrett : fearless spearman
- Gillon : lad
- Glasny : green, grey, grey-blue
- Glenda : lady of the valley
- Gorman : dark; swarthy
- Gorman : small person with blue eyes
- Gormley : blue or illustrious princess
- Gormula : grey servant
- Grania : she who inspires terror
- Guthrie : person who comes from breezy place
- Hanlon : champion
- Hogan : fire
- Hogan : little lad
- Hogan : young
- Hugh : fire
- Irial : elf
- Kane : a tribute
- Keane : clever
- Kearney : either fox or victorious
- Keavy; Keeva : beauty; grace
- Keefe : handsome, gentle and loved man
- Keegan : little fiery one
- Keehan : blind
- Keelin : fair and slender
- Keely : beautiful
- Keernit : dark lady
- Keevin : beautiful and fair
- Keevin; Kevin : friend; beloved
- Keir : dark; black
- Kelly : brave warrior
- Kennan : fair one
- Kennedy : ugly head
- Kermit : liberty
- Kerry : decendant of the dark one
- Kerwin : decendant of the dark one
- Kevin : handsome and lovable
- Kiely; Kyla : graceful
- Kieran : dark; black
- Kirby : dark son
- Lachtna : milk-white
- Lachtnan : milk-white
- Larkin : cruel or fierce
- Lassarina : flame wine
- Leanan : grey lad
- Leigan : snow-haired
- Lia : grey
- Liadan : grey lady
- Loman : bare
- Lorcan : cruel or fierce
- Lowery : speaker
- Maccon : son of a wolf
- Macree : my heart
- Macushla : my pulse
- Madigan, Madden : little dog
- Madreen : little puppy. Also slang for tramp or slob.
- Mallan : lightning
- Maloney : serves Saint John
- Maolisa : servant of Jesus
- Marcan : steed
- Melvin : Irish chief
- Milish : sweet
- Moira : bitter
- Mungin : long haired
- Muriel : sea-white
- Murphy : hound of the sea
- Murren : sea-fair
- Neely : victor
- Neil : the champion
- Nelson : son of the champion
- Nevin : worshiper
- Nolan : noble
- Nollaig : Christmas
- Ogan : little lad
- Olcan :
- Oran : grey-brown
- Oriana : golden girl
- Orla : golden princess
- Orna : grey-brown lady
- Orrin : fair skinned
- Phelan : the wolf
- Pooka : mischievous sprite
- Quillan : little cub
- Quinlan : beautiful shape
- Quinn : wise
- Rafferty : wealthy, prosporous
- Renny : small and powerful
- Riley : valiant warrior
- Rohan, Rowan : red haired
- Ronan : little seal
- Rory : red king
- Rosaleen : little rose
- Rosheen : little rose
- Ryan : little king
- Scully : town crier
- Shane : God is gracious
- Sheena : God’s blessings
- Shelia : grey-eyed or blind
- Slevin : from the mountains
- Sloan : a fighter
- Sorley : summer wanderer
- Taggert : son of a priest
- Tara : rocky hill
- Tressa : strength
- Trevor : noble character
- Tynan : dark
- Uainionn : foam-white